Thursday 4 July 2013

Hard Rock Calling

29/06/2013
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park
London, UK

The stage was set for a glorious day in the capital. An early morning road trip in a Micra with three mates, top notch weather, loud music and some bacon sandwiches. Oh, and some live music to top it off.
The first ever live music event at the Olympic Park had to be a big one, what with the capacity and the grandiose scale of the place. It seemed like the only logical thing to do was to have a massive fuck off rock concert there, so the yearly Hard Rock Calling event was moved from it's other London home at Hyde Park to the Olympic Park.

Arriving just about in one piece after doing battle with Apple Maps and the roads of London, Helios was smiling on us from above, and the gates were opened to the rest of our day. Arriving at the main stage at about 12:30pm to the sludge pop sounds of Nashville residents The Weeks, it was an appropriate soundtrack for the lying down that we were partaking in. The crowd was still unhealthily thin, with about 150 people standing on the concrete near the front to watch the band, whereas the Astro Turf surface behind it was withstanding the backsides of a few thousand. This trend continued into the next act to grace the main stage: Lower Than Atlantis. A rockier serving after the sombre sounds of The Weeks, it gave the crowd the first mosh pit of the day, but with vocalist/guitarist Mike Duce desperately trying to hide his frustration at the lack of crowd interaction based on all the groups sitting on the floor, their enthusiasm about the show seemed a little forced. I might be wrong, but either way, songs like 'Something Better Came Along' meant their melodic rock was a loud wake up call to the crowd at the front to get their asses into gear.

Irish band Kodaline were next, and if ever there was a sign to lie back down and soak up the rays, this was it. This doesn't mean the music was meek and uninteresting, it's just that, as Oliver Butler described it, it was "perfect hangover music".  'Pray' made us sway, and closer 'All I Want' actually made me stand up and listen intently. This is one band I came away from the show thinking "I'll check them out... next time I get a hangover". The crowd suddenly began to grow once Twin Atlantic walked onstage. Touted by many as "the next Biffy Clyro" with their Scottish swagger and their alternative rock crunch, I was all up for this one. Vocalist/guitarist Sam McTrusty could do with some work on his crowd banter, but it didn't detract from the tunes served up, and the mosh pit returned for a more permanent stay. Closer 'Make A Beast Of Myself' whipped the crowd up into a frenzy and the band left the stage as heroes.

Indie rock n'roll maestro Miles Kane got everyone on their feet and bouncing. 'Rearrange' and 'Give Up' were the perfect sounds for a summers evening, and not once did Kane look like he was hanging from his appearances at Glastonbury as himself and with Arctic Monkeys. The crowd bounced around as if the concrete covering the front 20 metres were a trampoline, and there was even time for Kane to dedicate 'Darkness In Our Hearts' to onlookers Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy. Like a son passing to his father, penultimate act Paul Weller, the Modfather himself, eased the crowd down a bit after the ruckus of Miles Kane. 'That's Entertainment' was a wonderful acoustic singalong that brought the crowd together as one in a sign of togetherness... that is until 'A Town Called Malice' came on and the whole place goes apeshit like it's 1982.

I can't think of many bands up to the task of closing a day of wonderful music such as Kasabian, one of the remaining titans of British rock. Arriving onstage to the Grandstand theme tune, every male in the vicinity sings out at the top of their lungs, and opener 'Days Are Forgotten' kickstarted the carnage. They continued to roll off anthem after anthem, such as the catchy 'Underdog', rarely aired old song 'Processed Beats' and to the chants from guitarist Sergio Pizzorno of "MOSH PIT, MOSH PIT, MOSH PIT" leading into a rampant 'Club Foot'. Suddenly the concrete at the front of the crowd didn't seem like a good idea, as during an amazingly energetic 'Switchblade Smiles', this clumsy writer fell in the pit and was crushed on the concrete for a brief moment, and the wounds are still quite visible five days later. This was part of a three-pronged attack that concluded with 'Vlad The Impaler' and 'Fire'. Many attendees would agree though that the moment of the gig had to be 'LSF', that resulted in an extended crowd singalong into the encore, with half the crowd placing themselves on the shoulders of the other half.

All in all, a fantastic day, resulting in constipation, dodgy sandwiches, overpriced burgers, a grumpy Yorkshireman, and many battle scars, but most importantly, golden memories.

Monday 8 April 2013

'Best songs ever' does not equal your favourite songs

Unless of course your favourite songs are some of the following...

It's pretty simple really, you get the odd nitwit saying when 'Starships' blares out and begins to magnetise the intoxicated to the dancefloor that it is "the best song EVER". It could be the VK's talking, but regardless, it is not the best song ever, it is your favourite song. Only certain situations require a degree of being picky with your words, but maybe this is one of those times. Even right now my Dad is suggesting that 'The Boys are Back in Town' is the best song ever, and when I counter that with disagreement, he pulls a face. For example, my favourite song, as many of you already know is 'Stockholm Syndrome' by Muse, and whilst it is an incredibly epic song, it is not the best song ever. The best songs of all time have the power to change the world whilst at the same time maintaining their integrity and not delving into pits of simplicity. They can be long or short, loud or quiet, but in most examples, they are all four. Some of my nominations are obvious, others may not be, but decide for yourself if I'm on the right lines.

Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody


Why: Erm... because it's Bohemian fucking Rhapsody, and it just about shits over anything. I have no idea what the band were dabbling in when they thought it would be a good idea to make this. The talent required for this is nothing short of mesmerising, and there's a reason that any songs considered "epic" nowadays are compared to this band, and in most examples this song. It broke the mould, it didn't have a typical structure and it still got to no.1 and stayed there for weeks!

Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah


Why: Much credit goes to Leonard Cohen for penning this wonderful piece of music, but it's Buckley's cover that is the most recognised version, fuck Alexandra Burke. You know a singer is special when he can take a song as moving as 'Hallelujah' and take you on even more of a pleasurable journey than the original. This man was a talent that was taken too young from us, and the world is poorer for having lost him.

Radiohead - Paranoid Android


Why: Known as 'the Bohemian Rhapsody of the 90's', Radiohead penned their indirect answer to Queen's operatic thundermonster, but without the opera. It also has the strangest music video of all time, albeit one of my favourites. It'll make you cry, it'll make you laugh, it'll make you mosh, it'll make you sway. Ladies and gentlemen, Radiohead.

Guns N'Roses - November Rain


Why: One does not simply refuse to air guitar to this song. Another monster of great size that displays Slash's virtuoso guitar style and proves that when Axl Rose wants to, he can sing and do it well. I don't usually rave about guitar solos, but being treated to three in this song is something that I personally savour. This was a nice and mature change given the image of the band being a bunch of no good punks, like an original Towers of London, but man oh man they pull it off with flare and style here.

Oasis - Champagne Supernova


Why: Many people are probably sick to death of 'Wonderwall' and 'Don't Look Back in Anger', and whilst they themselves are incredible tunes, this is the real gem of Oasis' back catalogue. It's not the most musically innovative song ever written, but it's a song that can bring people together in a mass singalong whether it be a festival (sadly not any more) or an indie nightclub. 'Champagne Supernova' is definitely a rival to 'Paranoid Android' for being one of the best songs of the 90's.

Queens of the Stone Age - A Song For The Dead


Why: I had to seriously consider putting this one amongst the aforementioned selections, but it has made it onto the list. If you haven't heard it, please have a listen. The heavy nature of it may detract some, but for it's complexity and the ability for drummer Dave Grohl to influence many to learn how to drum long after his stint in Nirvana, this is definitely a worthy competitor. Having said that, with every word I type in this paragraph, I question it's inclusion... well you know what, fuck it.

Tuesday 22 January 2013

The gig experience

From the perspective of a fan, a gig for one of your favourite artists is a big deal. It's the only environment in which it is socially acceptable to scream and dance your way through the night. However, as much as you want to enjoy the gig in your own way, it's not necessarily that simple. You are surrounded by plenty of other fans, and whether it be a crowd of 100 or 100,000, you must respect them, unless they're completely inconsiderate ballsacks, in which case you "accidentally" place your elbow in the direction of their face.

Concert attendees must prepare for what may come their way. Having experienced gigs in venues that range from the likes of The Barfly to Wembley Stadium, I can safely trust my own opinion on how crowds will work in different situations and environments. Here are some tips on what you may come across at concerts, some bad situations and some good situations, and what to do should they arise:

1) Tolerate the support act
Everyone is bored and waiting for the main attraction, but you need to get in the mood right? I have seen some shoddy support acts in my time, but thankfully never one that has had to withstand a barrage of negative vibes thrown their way. The support band have dreamed about this for a while, and all they want to do is impress you. If you waste your beer by throwing it at them, not only have you wasted your money and now have to deal with four disgruntled indie kids onstage, but your thirst remains unquenched. Patience is a virtue, and it'll make it all the more worth it once the main act steps onstage.

2) Camera etiquette
We all want to retrieve as many memories as we can of a fantastic night of live music, but seriously, do you have to film every single song? If you are holding up a camera for the whole 2 hours of a gig then I salute your arm strength, but think of the poor souls behind you whose visions are impaired by your flailing limbs. Fair enough, take the odd photo and film your favourite song, but enjoy the gig through your own eyes once in a while. Even for me at 6'5, I struggle to see sometimes. It also disrupts the energy of the audience. Come on, they're playing a loud and jumpy rock song, where's your pogo at?!

3) Don't hate on the tall guy
I speak from the heart on this matter. I ate my vegetables and I grew tall, and now I have the ability to see a little bit more of the stage. Thankfully it's rare I come across people who get really aggro about me standing in front of them, but I will always offer them the chance to go in front. I remember one gig back in 2007 at The Carling Academy in Birmingham, I was standing near the front and during the support act there was plenty of alcohol chucked towards the stage (mostly because it was Lethal Bizzle and he was supporting The Enemy), however I took the brunt of it and ended up being soaked in what I hoped was beer. The long and short of it is don't hate the tall guy in the crowd because he is tall. If he has a kind bone in his body he'll move for you, but if he doesn't, don't hate him because he's tall, hate him because he's a prick.

4) If you can't hack the pushing and shoving, don't stand near the front
I've stood relatively near the front for many gigs; I go there to jump about and dance. There are some people though who bitch and moan when they can't keep up with the movement; they're only near the front because "OMG I'm so close to Jared Leto and I can't wait to tell my chums that he is about 20 feet from me". Look you lippy bitch, if you can't handle the heat, stay out of the kitchen, it wouldn't make a difference to your life were you 20 ft or 40 ft from Gerard Way. Don't shout at me to stop falling into you when I have the force of about 5,000 Kasabian fans pushing from one side to the other. Also, don't moan because a crowd surfer landed on you; God you suck so much.

5) Moshpits
I saw Lostprophets (I wept as I typed that) back in 2009, and a big moshpit had opened up from the front. Now, in relation to point number 4, if you don't like the energy of the crowd, stay at the back or to the sides. When a circle pit opens up and people start running, don't clench your fist and hold out your arm on the edge of the pit in a bid to clothesline anyone who comes within four feet of you. This happened at that gig courtesy of a man who looked like he was in his 40's with the kind of face that only a mother could love. I understand that people don't want to get hurt, but the point of moshpits is not to get hurt, it's to let out energy; if someone falls, you pick them up. Pits do more good than you think: imagine people bashing you from side to side in a really tight and confined space, you wouldn't want that would you? That's why the moshpit exists, and you must learn to appreciate it. It is a place of camaraderie and a community that has 'gaining some battle wounds' high on its agenda.